Kidsmart Rollout: Early childhood project - Carl Klitscher Carl has been involved with the teacher training component of the IBM Kidsmart Early Learning program in New Zealand since its inception 6 years ago. This session covers the inclusion of Open Source software into that program some of the experiences gained.There are a wide range of opinions about the use of ICT in the early childhood sector, as you might expect. What we found was that while the pre training comments ranged from negative through ambivalent to cautiously positive, the post training comments are universally positive with the Open Source programs (Tuxpaint, Audacity, Stellarium, Celestia, OpenOffice etc.) playing a major role in that turnaround. Even after six years of operation it is very rare for us to come across people who know of Open Source Software programs before the training sessions but once they realise the power and capability of the software and how it can be used with the curriculum they are very enthusiastic.
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1. IBM KidSmart Program Rollout Training Carl Klitscher IBM New
Zealand Ltd
2. Agenda Kidsmart Program Background Initial Experiences
Training Program Contents Open Source Software Sample Slides GIMP
and Open Office Audacity and digital video Summary Backup slides
Free/Libre download sites Useful Links Slide 2 of 11
3. Kidsmart Program Background A computer contained in a
securable plastic housing Windows based Kiddesk Millies Math House
Baileys Book House Etc... Operating in NZ for 6 Years Over 500
Units deployed Targets lower decile kindergartens and Childcare
centres Installed by IBM volunteers
http://www.kidsmartearlylearning.org/EN/index.html Slide 3 of
11
4. Initial Experiences Pilot and year one rollout... Computers
have no place in Early Childhood Education We don't think the kids
would like it It's just a marketing ploy by It's too solitary...
Within a week of the Pilot... How do I connect to the Internet? Can
you give us a copy of Microsoft Office? How do we address these
concerns? Joint ECE/IBM training program was proposed. Cover both
pedagogy and technical aspects. Slide 4 of 11
5. Training Program contents Pedagogy What is the value? Where
does it fit? How do we address concerns? Technical Basic care and
operation Why it is the way it is How the supplied programs work
What else can you do? Introduction to Open Source Install and use
TuxPaint Demonstrate Audacity, Open Office, GIMP, Stellarium etc.
Slide 5 of 11
6. Open Source Software TuxPaint Child oriented painting
program The GIMP Digital photo manipulation OpenOffice Word
processor, Spreadsheet, Presentation software Audacity Audio
capture and manipulation Firefox and Thunderbird Secure Internet
Browser and e-Mail client TrueCrypt Password protect USB sticks
Stellarium and Celestia The night sky and universal travel... Slide
6 of 11
7. GIMP and OpenOffice Samples GIMP for Image processing Crop,
resize, highlight, airbrush... OpenOffice for text and image Full
word processing capabilities Tutorials available on the internet
Slide 7 of 11
8. Audacity and digital video Audacity Audio file manipulation
Bass, tempo, pitch, wahwah... Mix multiple channels Noise reduction
Of the sample... not the kids Windows Movie Maker Digital video
capture (video or camera) Import and edit video Trim, story board
and overlay audio Fade in/out and Transition effects Slide 8 of
11
9. Summary ICT should support the curriculum, not the other way
around ICT is a means to an end so what else can you do with it?
Digital cameras, microscopes and Projectors Portfolios, Kiosks,
Screenshows, Talking books... Hands on experience is a great Open
Source sales tool Number 1 request from evaluation forms is more
time to learn Number 2 request is a follow up session 100% positive
post session comments Open Source Software is invaluable License is
a good match for the education sector Allows family and whanau to
participate Positive promotion whenever and wherever you can Slide
9 of 11
11. Useful Links The OpenDisc Open Source software as supplied
by the NZOSS http://www.theopendisc.com/
http://support.openoffice.org/ ClamWin Free antivirus software
http://www.clamwin.com Slide 11 of 11